ritchie



(No Model.)

A. THOMPSON su R. o. RITGHIB.'

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS. N0.is53,766.

Patented Deo. '7, 1886.

[n2/@mfom r /IL FRED- THomPao/v @Ntra ALFRED THOMPSON AND ROBERT O. RITOHIE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC FlRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,766, dated December 7, 1886.

(No model.)

.T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED TnoMrsoN and ROBERT ORD RITCHIE, British subjects, residing at London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Alitomatic Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to automatic tire-extinguishing apparatus operated electrically by a rise in temperature of the chamber or building inV which the apparatus is iixed, and our device is so constructed as to permit of immediate discharge of Water over a considerable area of floor upon the rise of the temperature ofthe room or building-above a certain maximum, and is capable of being tested at any time as to its efficiency. It can be operated mechanically at will, and can after operation be placed again iu its former condition for service by any unskilled attendant.

In order that our invention may be the better understood, We now proceed to describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.

Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through our device. Fig. 2 is any known heat-indicator or thermostat when fixed apart from our eX tinguisher, by which our device is electrically operated by change of temperature. Fig. 3 is an outside end view of our device with thermostat attached. Fig. 4 is a modified detail of the water-valve chamber and modified contact for arm and attached thermostat.

A is a screwed union or nozzle of non-magnetizable metal, by which our device is attached to a branch from a water-main, the water-mains being conveniently distributed as desired, near the ceiling or ceilings of any chamber or building which it may be desired to protect from tire, a series of our devices being attached thereto at suitable intervals from one another, so as to cover the Whole area of the floor with a discharge of water at need. The said nozzleA is attached to a core or. barrel, B, of iron or other magnetizable material, forming a continuation of the waterpassage, which is closed at the mouth by a valve, C, which may make a joint conveniently upon a ring of india-rubber, D, tted therein. A screwspindle, E, is fitted into the said Valve C, and is guided in a nut, F, the adjustment oi' the Valve being effected by turning the spindle on its screw-thread e, where it tits into the valve. The valve is prevented from turning by a pin, f. The'valve O is. normally held closed against the Water by the pres-ure on its spindle E of a lever, G. The said lever pivoting on a fulcrun1,g, (which is made as part of the main casting or structure 13,) engages by a pin, g', in a recess of the armature lever H. H is pivoted on the framing at h, and is held up, so as to engage the pin g'of the lever G, by the tension of a suitable spring, K.

The Water, on issuing from the valve O, is received into the annular chamber L, Figs. l and 4, whence it issues in any desired direction by suitableA perforations, Z, Fig. 1, or by a suitable orifice, as in Fig. 4.

Around the core or barrel B is wound a coil of insulated wire, M, which is inclosed after winding by a cylindrical shell, R, of iron or other magnetizable material forming part of the frame, which is secured to the inner core by screws, or in any convenient way.' One end ofthe said coil is attached to the insulated set-screw N. Fig. 1, or N2, Fig. 3, and thence to one SetscreW, N, on any suitable thermostat or mechanical heat-indicator, P. This thermostat is shown detached from the extinguisher at Fig. 2, and attached to the extinguisher at P, Figs. 3 and 4. This thermostat, being constructed of metals of dissimilar eX- pansion in accordance with the variations of temperature, Will at a maximum temperature close a battery-circuit, Q', by touching a contact-piece, p, Fig. 2, or the frame, as in Figs. 3 and 4, the other pole ofthe battery being either connected direct to any part of the frame of our device, and thus to the other end of the coil of insulated Wire M, or, equivalently, one pole of the battery may be put to earth, and one extremity of the coil being connected to the frame of our device, and thus also to the Water-mains, may be considered as equally put to earth. The coil M being carefully insulated is closed by a ring, m, of vulcanized ber or other suitable material,shellacked into place 10o so as to be perfectly water-tight.

The connection of the earth end of` the coil v electro-magnet.

M is made to frame in the following way: It isbroughtinsulated through the external shell, R, and placed in metallic contact with a finger, r, Figs. l and 3, or r', Fig. 4, the lever G making the metallic contact with this spring-finger by the set-screw S, or direct by its surface, the circuit being thus made through the lever G to earth. Any suitable annunciator, T, may be introduced into the circuit at a suitable position to attract attention, and is immediately operated by the closing of the electrical circuit by the thermostat P or PQ. It may also be causedv to operate an electrical bell, U, in an auxiliary circuit, -to be closed in any known manner by the operation of our device.

Our apparatus works as follows: Upon any abnormal rise of temperature in a room or` building, any suitable thermostat placed in a convenient and suitable position-such as P or Pis thereby operated until it closes the electrical circuit through the battery Q, the annunciator T, and our device. Visible and audible indication by the annunciatorT and auxiliary bell U is' thus at once given of dan ger, and the electro-magnet M B R in our device causes the iron armature H to be attracted forcibly down upon the end of the said The pin g of the lever G is thus released from its detent, and the lever G falls against the stop V by its Own weight, aided by the pressure of the water on the valve. The valve O is thus released and the water is allowed to escape, the electrical circuit being broken after it has fulfilled its purpose by the movement'of the lever G away from the contact-finger r or r. The discharge of water, spread over a considerable area, is thus continued until the apparatus is again closed, which can be easily effected by any unskilled person, by whom the lever G may be thrust back into place, forcing home the valve O and causing .the pin g of the lever G once more to engage in its detent. The apparatus is thus once more ready for action, and .can be tested experimentally at any time by ar- 4 5 stem, and a lever engaging with said stem and inter-locked with said armature to close thevalve, substantially as herein specied.

2. In an automatic electrically operated iire extinguishing device, an electro-magnet, M-B R, and its spring-pressed or weighted armature H, surrounding the water-passage, substantially as herein specified, iu combination with an outlet-valve, D, closed against the waterpressure, and a lever, G, interlocked with said armature to close said valve, and released by the attraction of said armature to open the water-outlet.l

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, each in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. n

ALFRED THOMPSON. ROBERT O. RITGHIE.

Witnesses to the signature of Alfred Thompson:

g SAM. P. WELDING,

JOHN C. FELL. Witnesses to the signature of Robert Ord Ritchie:

JNO. DEAN, HERBERT E. DALE, Both of No. 17 Gracechurch Street, Loudon. 

